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Healthbeat - Ovarian Cancer Treatments

On the Healthbeat, Doctor Ramo talks with an expert about some treatments for ovarian cancer.

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Updated: 5:28 AM MDT Sep 24, 2013

Healthbeat - Ovarian Cancer Treatments

On the Healthbeat, Doctor Ramo talks with an expert about some treatments for ovarian cancer.

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Updated: 5:28 AM MDT Sep 24, 2013

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WEBVTT WE CONTINUE OUR IMPORTANT SERIES ON THE SYMPTOMS OF OVARIAN CANCER. TODAY, DR. RAMO TALKS WITH AN EXPERT ON OPTIONS, WOMEN HAVE FOR TREATMENT. IT'S NEW ON THE HEALTHBEAT. PKG OVARIAN IS A DEADLY DISEASE BUT THERE ARE TREATMENTS, IN FACT I HAVE A PATIENT THAT I SAW IN THE OFFICE WHO IS 12 YEARS FOLLOWING STAGE 4 OVARIAN CANCER. DR. MULLER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO, TELL US ABOUT OVARIAN CANCER TREATMENTS. SO OVARIAN CANCER TREATMENTS ARE EVOLVING VERY QUICKLY. THE MAJORITY OF PATIENTS WILL REQUIRE SURGERY AND CHEMOTHERAPY, AND THE CHEMOTHERAPY TREATMENTS CAN VARY BASED ON THE SITUATION. SO LETS SAY YOU HAVE A WOMAN WHO COMES TO YOU AND SOMEONE DOES A PELVIC EXAMINATION AND YOU'RE NOT SURE WHETHER IT'S CANCER. DO YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO DO SOME KIND OF A BIOPSY OR OTHER TREATMENT? MOST OF THE TIME IT'S PRETTY CLEAR THAT WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT OVARIAN CANCER AND SO WE TRY NOT TO BIOPSY. WE TYPICALLY GO RIGHT TO SURGERY. BECAUSE THE KEY IS TO, IF IT IS EARLY NOT TO SPREAD IT BY A BIOPSY. BUT CERTAINLY THE GOAL OF THE SURGERY IS TO REMOVE THE OVARIES AND AS MUCH OF THE TUMOR AS WE CAN IF WE FIND THAT IT HAS SPREAD. SO TYPICALLY, LETS SAY STAGE 3 OR 4 I GUESS IS A BIG DIFFERENCE. STAGE 4 WHICH MEANS IT'S SPREAD OUTSIDE THE OVARIES YOU SAID? OUT OF THE BELLY CAVITY. OUT OF THE BELLY CAVITY. DO YOU GIVE CHEMO AND RADIATION FIRST, OR IS A SURGERY POSSIBLE? YEAH. WE LOOK AT THE SITUATION AND USUALLY WE TRY TO DO SURGERY FIRST TO REALLY REMOVE 99 PERCENT OF THE TUMOR IF WE CAN. CHEMO IS MORE EFFECTIVE IF WE CAN DO THAT. SOMETIMES SURGERY IS IMPOSSIBLE AND WE GIVE CHEMOTHERAPY FIRST TO SHRINK IT. BUT RADIATION IS NOT USED IN THIS DISEASE. BUT YOU DO GET CURES? YES WE DO, EVEN STAGE 3 AND 4. AND WHY IS THAT? SO PEOPLE WHO ARE STAGE 3 STAGE 4 SHOULDN'T GIVE UP? THAT'S CORRECT. ABSOLUTELY. IT IS VERY VERY TREATABLE. AND ABOUT 80 PERCENT OF PATIENTS ACHIEVE REMISSION AFTER TREATMENT. SO THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. THE IMPORTANT THIS IS THAT YOU GET YOUR ANNUAL EXAMINATIONS AND YOU MAKE SURE YOU DON'T HAVE THE PROBLEM. AND IF YOU DO HAVE SYMPTOMS LIKE NEEDING TO URINATE MORE FREQUENTLY, ABDOMINAL PAIN, GET IN TO SEE YOUR DOCTOR BECAUSE THERE IS TREATMENT FOR IT.

Healthbeat - Ovarian Cancer Treatments

On the Healthbeat, Doctor Ramo talks with an expert about some treatments for ovarian cancer.